It's Coming...

Summer that is! I absolutely cannot wait for the warm weather to arrive! We have been anxiously checking the pool temperature each day to see if it's ready. Right now it's at 69, and we know what that means... 15 more degrees and I'll get in! I actually got in last year when it was 64, but I am not that brave this year. Anyway, you know I've got to do a list. It's been like a whole week since the last one. I've got people who read this everyday and want a fresh post. So, here are my favorite things about Summer:

1. Fresh Summer fruit with dinner each night. Watermelon, pineapple, honey dew, and strawberries, yum!
2. Swimming
3. The smell of coconut scented sunscreen
4. Sleeping in
5. Popsicles, freezer pops, and ice cream
6. Pedicures and flip-flops
7. Sundresses and sandals
8. Cooking out and eating on the patio
9. Moonlit swimming with the kids
10. Air-conditioning (world's greatest invention!)
11. No homework!!!
12. Not having to look for matching socks
13. Hot dogs
14. Freshly mowed grass
15. Taking the kids to Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor
16. Evening bike rides with the family
17. 4th of July (we throw a kickin' party EVERY year with awesome fireworks)
18. Extra hands to help with housework
19. Bikinis, spray tan, and Sun In... (kidding!) and last but not least
20. Getting to spend so much time with my babies

Mommies...

if you ever need a good laugh go here. I had heard about this series, but never looked at it until tonight. Funny stuff!
P.S. so far my fave episodes are: All's Fair in Love, War, & Sibling Rivalry
and Preachers, Panties, and Policemen

Worn Out

We have spent the better part of the last 4 days at the BMX track in Desoto for the Super Nationals. The boys worked really hard and we are so proud of them. Of course we would have loved all 1st place finishes, but it will take time. Hayden brought home a pretty cool trophy. Mostly I was glad to be able to share our new obsession with some family and friends. The boys had quite the cheering section, yay! We had a good time, but man we are exhausted. Poor Hayden raced his last race burning up with fever. I am not quite sure what is going on.... He is now fresh and clean, dosed up with Motrin, and crashed on the couch with Miss Coco. I am so glad we are home, too bad tomorrow is not a school holiday. But, I will finally be able to get back to my to-do/Spring cleaning list. I have about 10 days before the calendar fills up with more stuff to do. So, I will be on turbo starting tomorrow morning. Here are a few photos. These were taken in the car on the way home. Of course I was too busy flapping my jaws at the track to take photos there. Can you tell the kids were just slightly tired? Thanks to those of you who could come out and watch the kiddos. We really appreciate it.

Beautiful Day

On March 8, 2008 Hunter and Chloe were baptized. I really thought the day would never come. We had been inactive for so long and they really didn't know alot about the Gospel. I had just gotten into the habit of not going to church and not making scripture study and prayer more important. And, while we are not perfect we have made progress in our home and in our lives. For that I am so thankful. I am so proud and happy that the kids chose to be baptized. I am so glad we have nice and patient missionaries that really got along great with the kiddos. And most of all I am so very blessed to have such a sweet family. My sister's and their husbands helped so much with the baptism. It was a very sweet and special experience. The kids and I will be eternally grateful. Thanks so much for being with us on our special day.

**I feel terrible that I have waited so long to post about my children's baptism. I wasn't able to get pictures myself since my camera died. I was waiting on more pictures. Thanks Jesse!

Black Cloud

Ok, so I concede. I definitely have a black cloud or bad luck or something. As I am sure those of you who read this can attest, chaos and drama follow me everywhere. Thankfully I never barfed, but I was reminded this morning that my life is chaotic! Just a sampling of my day so far and it's only 8:41:

Toilet overflowing down the hall and yes it contained poo. Thank goodness my washer has a sanitary wash cycle.

Hunter lost a contact in his bed, and promptly went ballistic.

The dog managed to tear through 4 bags of trash and loosen a fence picket, after which she paraded around the front yard and dug up my flowerbed. All in the space of about 7 minutes.

My refrigerator decided to freeze up. Hot milk is yuck!

Hunter and Chloe missed the bus.

Chandler has the mystery virus...

TGIF??? What the hell is that supposed to mean anyway???
I am crossing my fingers that the rest of the day will go a little smoother... I just got back from driving the kids to school, (I was in my nightgown which was inside out, but that's beside the point), and I am going back to sleep, don't anyone dare call me...

Ashley's crazy evening

All day today I have had that "blah" feeling. You know the feeling where you are nauseous, tired, shaky, headachy... Just plain blah and you don't quite know why. Well, I have a major phobia of vomiting and steered clear of food most of the day since I wasn't sure what was going on. I went about my day as normal but by 1:30 was pretty hungry, so I ate lunch (chicken). I got the kiddos home from school and began to get ready for tonight's BMX race to be held in Desoto. We were not down the street from our house when I started to feel the inevitable blow chunks, toss your cookies, pull over now feeling. I managed to stay calm and was able to make it all the way to Grand Prairie, which is a good 30 minutes from my house. At approximately Great Southwest Parkway I started to get super panicky and was sure I was gonna die. I immediately called my parents and arranged for them to pick me up not far from their house so that Jon and the boys could head to the race track. My mommy picked me and Chloe (and her icedream with chocolate syrup) up at Chick Fil A. We made it to their house with my stomach contents in place and Chloe's ice dream down her leg and on my parent's floor mats. So, instead of going to the races, Chloe and I hung at the parent's casa for 4 hours while the guys raced. It was just so weird and out of character. I love my parents dearly, but rarely go hang out without my hubby and kids. We watched TV, made grilled cheese sandwiches, talked, and the ultimate highlight: a search and rescue operation for 1 calico kitty named Patches. She was nowhere to be found and we were starting to get worried. We eventually found her burrowed inside a box spring in the spare bedroom. While we did have a good time, I wish it had been under better circumstances. I still feel HORRIBLE and am not sure what is wrong with me??? Some weird virus or something. More than anything I am very weak and tired. Very odd... I was able to eat some honey toast and a few sips of Sprite, but you can guarantee that I will be sleeping with a bucket for the next 3 weeks. Totally normal for someone with emetophobia.

Pioneer Girl

I recently was given like the bestest present ever. The Little House on the Prairie series of books. I have been reading my little heart out. I got the books on Saturday and have read a book a day since then. When I was a kid, my sister Kelli and I would read and re-read them. I would love to go back in time and experience just one week at the Ingalls house. Yes, I know it would be hard. But, man it would be cool. I know to some people that may be incredibly cheesy, but not to me. I grew up with a dad who always had Westerns on TV, who has an amazing library full of books about Cowboys, Indians, and pioneers. We even briefly owned a farm, 158 acres in Paris, TX. that was my dad's pride. There was a cute little house, tons of pecan trees, and a fish filled pond. Of course there wasn't any livestock, except a few horses and other critters that just belonged. We even had a caretaker, Mr. Miller. He kept watch over the place and would always serve the same cookies when we went for our monthly farm trip. Anyway, to make a long blog post short, I have taken my recent gift a little overboard. In this internet savvy world we live in, I have been able to Google the real Ingalls-Wilder family. I have even looked up the foods they commonly ate, the clothes they wore, and friends of theirs. There are some pretty neat sites out there. I have been having a blast. Of course I haven't done as much Spring cleaning as I would have liked but oh well. There's always tomorrow.

For your reading pleasure:
Wikipedia Laura Ingalls Wilder
and
Roses and Daisies